Measures: Page 3

I hunched forward, dropped to my knees, and promptly threw up. My mouth tasted like battery acid and my head felt like it was being crushed in a vice. My fingers dug into the grass while I waited for the misery to stop.

Once I could stand without falling over, I did so, looking around. I was standing in a grassy field, with a small river about 200 feet (60 m) away from me. I vaguely remembered some scrap of boy scout training, that following a river was a good way to find people.

"Vedra, be ready to fight. I have no idea what we might come up against."

I heard her yawn and smack her lips inside my head, which is weird because she didn't have lips.

Hey boss, we got a problem.

"What?"

I can't see.

"I'm sorry, what?"

It's like a super thick fog.

"I didn't even know you could see to begin with."

I can't see necessarily, but I have magical sense. But the magic here is... cloudy. It feels ancient.

"Well, that's ominous."

I can use your eyes, but they aren't as good.

"Gee thanks."

I set off, walking along the river, occasionally chatting with Vedra. After maybe an hour of walking, we saw smoke rising from a copse of trees just across the river.

Cautiously, I approached them, finding 2 armored women sharpening swords in front of a campfire. Instantly, their eyes focused on me.

"Are you a traveler? You shouldn't be here."

"Uh, come again?"

One of the girls, a red head, stood up.

"New World travelers are supposed to be sent to the dwarves, how did you end up here?"

"Um, I got lost. Where is here, by the way?"

Her eyes narrowed slightly, and her friend stopped sharpening her weapon.

"A military outpost just a few miles outside the capitol. The demon presence here is lessened greatly but not gone."

I swallowed when she mentioned demons. Maybe this world was even less cool with warlocks then mine was.

"The capitol?"

She started at me like I had just asked color the sky was.

"Did the AWIO tell you nothing?"

"The what now?"

Her hand moved towards her sword which was stabbed into the grass.

"I think you should leave."

I took a step back, noticing the sudden hostility..

"Hey, I'm just trying to figure out where I am. There's no need to get hostile."

In the corner of my vision, there was a brief flash of light. It was the sun reflecting off of steel.

I stumbled back, barely avoiding the edge of her sword.

"Vedra?"

Yeah yeah, I know, I got this.

I felt her influence relax my muscles while she herself formed a staff in my hands. Like lightning, she blocked the second swing, and parried a stab from the other girl.

Do you want them alive?

"Yes!"

Fine, be boring.

She continued her defensive style, blocked, evading, and "gently" punishing our attackers when they left openings. She moved my body so fast I thought she might break something, but damn she was effective. The fight lasted for several minutes, and we didn't get hit once.

"How are you doing this?!"

The magic here, it's so strong, I've never felt th- thi- oh fuck

Suddenly, Vedra vanished. One moment she was there, the next, gone. Just gone. Suddenly my limbs were my own again, and I was unarmed.

"Vedra?"

The blonde charged at me, enraged. Before I could do anything, her pommel crashed into my head, and the world went black.